“Baby, I have to go take care of some business. I’ll be about an hour, give or take. I’m taking the car,” I said.
She waved at me.
I shook my head and walked toward her.
“Kiss me,” I demanded.
She stood up from her crouching position and kissed me quickly.
“Okay, see you in a while,” she said in a breathless voice.
“Okay,” I laughed.
I walked through the kitchen into the garage. As I started the car and raised the garage door, I considered how my thoughts regarding love have changed in the last six months. Loving and being loved by me was as natural as taking a breath. I didn’t even have to think about it. Kelli Parks meant more to me than anyone on this earth ever could or would. I would truly give my own life to give her just one more minute of living.
That woman just…
I smiled as I backed the car out of the driveway. As I cleared the garage and looked at the front of the house, I remembered the first time we were here. Hell, I had no idea at that time where Kelli and I would end up. Breaking into the house and fucking in the kitchen was not something that I would normally do with anyone, but she sure brought it out in me.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized how good Kelli was for me.
What void I had felt for the majority of recent years Kelli had filled fully, and she filled it naturally. As naturally as she was submissive, she was also a perfect natural fit for me. She fit me perfectly as woman, a respective other, and as a lover.
To think of ever trying to live without her was something that I could not make taste good in my mouth. Kelli provided for me a level of satisfaction that most men would only dream of, and she did so by simply existing.
As I pulled the car into the driveway, the reality of everything set into place. I exhaled, opened the door, and walked up the walk to the front door. Before I rang the doorbell, the door opened.
“Get your ass in here, you weren’t going to ring the fucking bell were you?” he asked.
“I intended to,” I responded.
“Good fucking God, son. Get in here,” he said as he stepped aside to allow me into the house.
“Coffee?” he asked as soon as I stepped into the house.
“Sure,” I responded.
“Cream and sugar, right?” he asked.
“Yes sir,” I responded as he walked into the kitchen.
I walked and sat in the chair that I had sat in the day Kelli and I first came here. He walked into the living room and handed me the cup of coffee.
“Damn, that’s good coffee,” I said as I took a sip from the cup.
“Well, it’s not that six dollar a cup shit you normally drink, but it ain’t all bad, is it?” he asked.
“It’s really pretty good,” I said as I took another sip.
“Well, that was something about that Jacob kid, wasn’t it?” he asked as he sat down.
“Who?” I asked, not immediately recognizing who he was speaking of.
“Alec Jacob. What do you guys call him?”
“Oh, A-Train. What about him?” I asked, thinking about A-Train’s incident with the police.
“Oh, just that the cops were trying to railroad him for something that he obviously wasn’t involved in,” he said, trying to unsuccessfully hide a smirk of a smile.
“Yeah, I’m glad that’s over,” I said as I took another sip of coffee from the cup.
When it came time to stand up, Gene stood up. I admired him for doing that. I would always admire him for having done what he did for Alec. Who knows where A-Train would be now without Gene’s help.
“So, to what do I owe this honor, son? Are you alright? How’s that new home?” he asked.
I finished the coffee, and placed the cup on the table beside the chair. I leaned forward, took a breath, and then exhaled.
“The new home is great. Kelli is really enjoying the place. She has it decorated the way she wants it. She was exercising when I left. I imagine she’s cleaning something in there now. Hell, she can’t stop cleaning, she’s really proud of the place. Oh, and I’m sorry you were too sick to come to the party the other day, we missed you, Gene,” I said.
“Well, I was sick as a God damned dog, probably the damned flu,” he said as he took a sip from his cup.
I nodded and leaned forward to the front edge of the cushion.
“So, Kelli said you were looking at buying a new bike – something she could actually ride on. Did you get one?” he asked.
“No, we tried. They were too damned high, we were ten percent apart on price,” I answered, not wanting to give the exact amount of money that we disagreed on.
“Well, you know what they say about that damned place. Hell it’s no secret that the guy’s a crook. I could teach that asshole a little about running a dealership, you know it?” he laughed.
“I’m sure you could,” I agreed.
“He’s looking to sell the damned place. Wants six fucking million,” Gene said, shaking his head.
“Jesus. Six?” I said, not realizing the place was for sale.
“Yep, I found out the other day at a city-wide dealership meeting. He’s out of his God damned mind.”
“Sounds like it,” I said.
Talking to Kelli’s father made me nervous. I don’t know what portion of the nervousness I attached to the fact that he believed I was arrogant, and what portion I attributed to the fact that he was her father. Either way, it made me nervous to talk to him.
Nervous or not, I had some things that we needed to discuss.
“You nervous, son?’ he asked as I shifted in my seat.
“Well, as a matter of fact, I am a little, yes,” I responded.
The hour that we talked went far better than I expected, and was a real wake-up call regarding what his thoughts, expectations, and beliefs were.
“Well, son-of-a-bitch,” he placed his head in his hands and exhaled.
“You know men can talk to men about some things that they can’t comfortably talk to women about. You know that, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes sir,” I responded.
“Not a word of what we speak of now is to leave here. Not one damned word. This is between you and I, son. Kelli isn’t to know about this,” he paused, and put his hands on his knees.
I nodded.
He slowly stood from his chair and began pacing across the floor of the living room.
“Son, I don’t know how well I’m gonna do this, especially now. I’m just glad you talked to me about your concerns first. Makes me feel better about spillin’ my guts,” he paused.
“Well, I guess I have a few things I should talk to you about. I wasn’t going to, but now I am. That’s just how things work. Might make this easier for me to start talking, but keeping going isn’t going to be easy for me,” he took a breath and looked in my direction.
“Keep your god damned mouth shut until I am done, alright?” he asked.
“Okay,” I responded, nodding my head slowly.
“It’s nothing against you, son. You have a tendency to run your mouth and interrupt a little. Not always in bad way, it’s just…well, it’s just. Oh, fuck it,” he said as he sat down into the chair again.
I wondered what it was exactly that he wanted to talk about. We had already spoken about everything from family matters to Kelli’s future, love, and everything in between.
“I know this isn’t going to be easy for me, and now the more I’m thinking, I know it isn’t going to be easy for you either. Just let me try to muddle through this, okay?” he asked.
“That’s fine, Gene,” I responded, wishing he’d just get started.
“Right around the time Kelli was born, I lost a kidney. God damned Agent Orange. Our fucking government sprayed all the foliage over there in Vietnam with the stuff. It was supposed to kill all of the plant life, give us a better idea of who was where, and keep our enemy from having a place to hide,” he took a breath.
; “Problem, Erik, was that the exposure of that shit to our troops caused all kinds of complications. Everyone that was within five miles of that crap when it was sprayed got cancer of some sort. Damned shame,” he stood from his chair and began to pace the floor.
“So, I have lived the last twenty years with one kidney. Hell, I didn’t even tell Kelli. I never wanted her to worry.”
“Erik, it’s my other kidney. I’m having problems with it,” he said.
He walked over and sat down in his chair. Clearly, based on his nervous nature, the problems with his kidney were serious - at least serious to him. I tried to act relaxed and wait for what else he had to say.
“Dialysis. They’ve started dialysis, and it’ll be three or four days a week. My blood type is AB negative, and with my age…with my age…I’m not valuable…”
His forearms on his knees, he looked down at the floor. He raised his hands, and placed his palms on either side of his face.
And he began to sob.
I stood and walked toward his chair. I reached over and placed my hand on his shoulder as he continued to cry.
“Gene, whatever this is, we can…”
“Three weeks to six months,” his voice cracked as he spoke.
“Three weeks to six months of what? Dialysis?” I asked, confused.
When he responded, I felt as if someone plunged a knife into my heart.
“That’s how long I’ve got…” he paused.
“To live,” he said as he looked up.
The reality of it all sank into my being.
This man was dying.
Most people live their lives concerned with what they own, where they live, and who they know. How much money they make, what they drive, and the clothes that they wear are more important than living a life of worth.
I stood over Kelli’s father full. Full of anger, grief, sorrow, and of hope. Hope that I could trade all that I had and all that I would ever have to buy him more time on this earth. I attempted to swallow through what proved to be a throat that was full of love.
“Gene…” I paused and tried to maintain my composure.
He continued to cry. It had become uncontrollable for him. He was sobbing.
I knelt down on both knees, and placed my hand on his shoulder. I turned my head and wiped the tears from my face with my free hand. Gene needed strength, comfort, and hope. For the life of me, I could not stop crying. The thought of Kelli losing her father was more than I wanted to accept right now.
Especially now.
I turned back to him as tears streamed down my face.
“Gene…”
He lifted his head from his hands and through his sobs, tried to speak.
“Erik, make me a promise. You’re a man of honor, make me a promise,” he asked, his hands shaking and face soaked with tears.
“Anything,” I stuttered.
“Take care of my little girl, Erik.” He said as he stood.
He wiped his face on his forearm, looked up at the ceiling and he screamed. He literally screamed the loudest most nerve racking howl I had ever heard. He shook his head, lowered his gaze, and looked at me.
“I’m alright now,” he paused.
“Son-of-a-bitch, I lost it there for a few minutes. I just needed to clear my head. I used to do that in the war - a good blood curdling scream. We’d be on the river taking fire, and I manned the machine gun. I’d fucking scream and let ‘em have it. It made it all make sense. Sometimes a good loud scream is all that it takes to clear the mind and soul of a mile of grief. Wipe those tears off of your face, son. You look like a damned fool,” he said as he pointed to my face and smiled.
I turned the other direction and wiped my face. His strength and his situation caused me to choke as I wiped my tears.
I started to cry again.
I gazed down at the floor, and placed both hands over my face and wiped my tears.
This was useless.
I looked up, still rubbing my eyes.
And I screamed.
THE BONE. “Listen up,” I paused and bit my cigarette between my teeth.
“You with the mouth, talking in the back. Turn around,” I cupped my hands around my cheeks and screamed.
“Where you from?” I asked, pulling the cigarette from my lips.
“The Patriot Guard,” he responded.
“Well, I appreciate all you fellas stand for. I don’t know how you do it when you’re having a meeting, but when we have ‘em, we have one person speak and everyone else listens. I’m the speaker, so turn around and pay attention, alright?” I lowered the tone of my voice a little as I spoke.
“Fellas, we have an issue. A concern. I have no idea if we can resolve it, but I’m sure going to give it all my attention,” I scanned the room to make sure all eyes were on me.
I looked down at the floor and took a drag from my cigarette.
“Doc’s girl, Sis. Her father is dying. Dying as we speak. He has from a week or so to maybe a few weeks to live. His kidney is failing and he only has one. He lost the other in the war. His blood type is AB negative, which is really rare,” I exhaled and took another drag from the cigarette.
“He needs a donor. There’s no amount of money that we can raise to fix this. A Poker run isn’t going to fix anything. A fundraiser isn’t the answer. One person is needed,” I patted Doc on the shoulder and exhaled the smoke.
“One person is needed to donate a kidney. Is there anyone that’s AB negative and wants to donate a kidney?” I asked.
No one said a word.
I spit my cigarette on the floor and smashed the butt with the toe of my boot.
“I ain’t looking to go into a bunch of detail, but we owe this man. He really sacrificed a lot for the sake of this club, he’s one hell of a man, and he’s all that Kelli has for a parent,” I said.
People softly talked to each other, but no one spoke up.
“Anyone AB negative?” I asked.
Silence.
“Listen up, fellas. We can’t put up flyers. We can’t go about conventional ways of asking around. Hell, it probably wouldn’t even be a good idea to ask around with your family. The problem is that Sis’ father doesn’t want her to know he’s sick. Not yet. So, this conversation stays here,” I said, pointing to the floor.
Not a word from the crowd.
“One hundred mother-fuckers in here and not one is AB negative?” I asked.
Silence.
“Well, I guess that’s it. If you don’t know your blood type, go get checked. If you find that you’re AB negative, and you’re willing to step up and make a sacrifice, call Doc or call me,” I paused and looked at the floor.
“I want to tell you fellas something I probably shouldn’t. Just a while ago, we had a member in trouble. Bad. Doc’s girl, Kelli…Sis stepped in to help. She made a huge sacrifice. She took one hell of a risk. When I asked her why she did it, what motivated her, I was shocked at what she told me,” I pulled my pack of cigarettes from my pocket.
I put a cigarette in my mouth, lit it, and pushed the pack back into my pocket.
“When it comes time to make a difficult decision, we are defined by the decisions that we make. When the collective wisdom of the universe says to shut up, yet you believe that it is time to stand up,” I took a drag from the cigarette and paused, making sure all eyes were on me.
“Stand up,” I paused again, exhaling the smoke.
“The pride that you gain will fuel you for a lifetime, and your character will never again be in question,” I bit the cigarette in my teeth, and squinted as the smoke rose into my eyes.
“That’s what she said. One hell of a woman right there, fellas. This ain’t easy fellas. Life ain’t easy. This is a sacrifice. A decision like this will define the character of a man, that’s for sure,” I looked around the shop.
“I need someone to stand up,” I took a drag from the cigarette and pulled it from my lips.
“That’s all I got fellas,” I said as I clapped
my hands together.
I turned to Doc.
“Doc, all we can do is ask. Fact of the matter is probably ain’t no one here AB negative. And, if there was, ain’t no one gonna want to give one of their kidneys to a sixty five year old man. It’s a mother-fucking shame,” I said.
As people started walking out of the shop, Teddy walked up to Doc and I.
“Crash,” I said as he walked up.
“I can tell you one fuckin’ thing and it’s a for sure,” Teddy growled.
“What’s that, Crash?” I asked.
“If I was AB negative, you’d be cuttin’ mine out right here and now. Hell, I couldn’t spill it out quick enough. I’d have you runnin’ it to the damned hospital on the back of that bike in a beer cooler,” he said.
“Appreciate ya, Crash,” Erik said.
“So, he’s pretty bad, Doc?’ I asked.
Erik nodded his head slowly.
“He’s as strong and as mean of a man as I have ever met, but it’s beyond that, Bone. He’s dying. Hell, his skin color is…” his voice faded.
I patted him on the shoulder.
“I know you ain’t a religious man, Doc. My family will be praying for all of ya,” I said as I pulled my cigarettes form my pocket.
“Doc, you know I would,” Jake said as he walked up to the group.
Doc looked up.
“I know you would, Jake. I appreciate that. So what’s the skinny between you and Michelle?” Erik asked.
“Who’s Michelle?” I asked, turning toward Jake.
“Friend of mine from high school. Jake ran off with her at the party,” Erik said.
“God damn, kid. What are you, twenty?” I asked as I lit a cigarette.
“I’m twenty-seven. Well, not yet, but here pretty soon,” Jake said.
“Hell, if she’s Doc’s age, she’s gotta be a dime over ya, kid. Probably thirty-six or so,” I laughed.
“She looks good, boss,” Erik said.
“Big titties?” I asked as I took a drag from my cigarette.
“I don’t care how old she is, I like her. She’s nice, and her boob size is not up for discussion,” Jake snapped.
Erik raised his eyebrows and nodded.
BABY GIRL III - Love That Just Is (THE ERIK EAD MC EROTICA SERIES) Page 4